THE CIRIN BULLETIN

Conference Interpreting Research

Information Network

An independent network for the dissemination of information on

conference interpreting research (CIR)

 

__________________________________________________________________

 

BULLETIN n°36

June 2008

Editor: Daniel Gile

 

Contributors to this issue:

Ivana Čeňková (IC), Peter Mead (PM), WANG Binhua (WBH), WANG Xiao Ying (WXY), XIAO Xiaoyan (XY), ZHANG Ailing (ZA)

 

Editorial address:

D. Gile, 46, rue d'Alembert, 92190 Meudon, France

tel/fax +33 1 45 34 83 84

e-mail: daniel.gile@yahoo.com

Web site: http://www.cirinandgile.com

 

   This Bulletin aims at contributing to the dissemination of information on conference interpreting research (CIR) and at providing useful information to members of the CIR community worldwide. It is intended to achieve maximum coverage of research into this sub-field of interpreting, and only occasionally refers to research and publications in other sub-fields. The Bulletin is published twice a year, in December and June. For further information and electronic or paper copies of early issues (the last issue is available on the Web site at any time), please contact D. Gile.

                Note: the mini-abstracts are followed by the initials of the contributors who sent in the information, but the text may also be written or adapted from the original text by D.Gile, who takes responsibility for the comments and for potential errors introduced by him.

 

*       *       *

 

EDITORIAL

 

In May this year, the 7th national Conference and International Forum on Interpreting was held in Guangzhou. This event was organized (with remarkable efficiency and flexibility) and hosted by Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. More than 200 participants, plenaries, breakout sessions. These conferences, which take place every 2 years and are organized and hosted by different universities, have proved to be a good opportunity for trainers (many of who are professional interpreters) and researchers to meet, establish relations and organize common initiatives. By also providing a good opportunity for graduate students and young researchers to present their work to their colleagues and elders, they foster research.

    The number of Chinese publications on conference interpreting in this and other Bulletins (60 out of the 100 entries in this issue) is not necessarily a good indication of actual research production in China: some of the texts focus on training without theoretical development or empirical research, some are repetitive both because they reiterate the same ideas and because in China, it is apparently acceptable for an author to publish the same texts twice or even three times in different media. However, as becomes especially clear when reading M.A. theses (from 12 to 18 every year since 2004), there is new research in several universities in China, with a steadily rising level of scholarship. Furthermore, with the creation of Bachelors of Translation and Interpreting and Masters of Translation and Interpreting, the Chinese government is providing an institutional environment which can help. The fact that a strong national community of interpreting trainers and researchers is developing also bodes well for the coming years with prospects for more input from Chinese colleagues. Ideas from Chinese, Japanese and Korean research are valuable because the different languages, research traditions and professional interpreting environments result in partly different foci, different approaches and different views from those prevalent in the West, and this provides food for thought. In particular, interpreter training, directionality, language-specific issues and the relations between language skills and interpreting are salient in interpreting research in Asian countries and generate interesting comments, as can be seen in some texts listed in this Bulletin.

 

Daniel Gile

 

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

 

ARTICLES

 

AHRENS, Barbara. 2007. Pauses (and other prosodic features) in Simultaneous Interpreting. Forum 5:2. 1-18.

* The author compared the frequency and length of pauses in a source speech and target speeches by 3 interpreters. Interestingly, she found that there were less pauses in the target speeches than in the source speeches, but there were more long pauses in the target speeches.

 

BAO, Xiao Ying. 2008. Pragmatic Transfer in Cross-Cultural Interpretation (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 51-57.

 

Boéri, Julie. 2007. A Narrative Account of the Babels vs. Naumann Controversy: Competing Perspectives on Activism in Conference Interpreting. The Translator 14:1. 21-50.

*  This paper focuses on the work of Babels, an international network of volunteer translators and interpreters, and examines a specific controversy surrounding its positioning in relation to volunteer and activist practices of interpreting in the context of the World Social Forum. Adopting a narrative perspective, it first examines some of the stories elaborated by Babels – of itself as a group and of its stance on activist interpreting in the Social Forum. It then offers an analysis of a letter that is highly critical of Babels, written by Peter Naumann, a professional interpreter, and published in AIIC’s online journal Communicate. The study reported here is part of a larger project (Boéri, in progress). Rather than outlining binary and discrete positions, the picture that emerges out of the analysis offered here, and particularly in Boéri (in progress), is one of an open-ended, network-like constellation of positionings that are available to and taken up by members of the conference interpreting community, including members of Babels and AIIC. The paper ultimately argues for further critical reflection on the narratives that circulate among members of the conference interpreting community, especially those relating to issues of volunteering, activism and professionalism.

 

CHAI, Mingjiong. 2007. Specialization of Interpreting Training and Studies Based on Professional Interpreting. Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 26-28.

 

CHANG, Shiru. 2008. Interpreting: Paraphrasing and Equivalence (in Chinese). Foreign Languages and their Teaching 2008/4. 61-63.

* Abstract: The theory of paraphrase (the Interpretive Theory) lays focus on the description for the cognitive process in interpretation, dividing interpretation into three stages: understanding, deverbalization and expression in the target language. As interpretation is practiced incessantly within time limits and with a large vocabulary, “deverbalization” is a necessity in the process of interpretation in which meanings are condensed, abstracted and refined in order to reformulate the essential and key information into the target language. As the stage of reepxression, the Equivalence Theory proposed by Nida is also adaptable to communication-oriented interpretation. A number of adjustments must be made in order to achieve an ideal effect among the audience, so that substantive communication is realized through “dynamic equivalence” or “functional equivalence”. The interpretation must follow the linguistic and cultural customs of the target languages so that the information can be easily understood and accepted by the audience. Paraphrase and equivalence constitute the basic theory for interpretation.

 

CHEUNG, Andrew Kay-Fan. 2007. The Effectiveness of Summary Training in Consecutive Interpreting Delivery. Forum 5:2. 1-22. 

* A comparison of the performance in Consecutive Interpreting in two groups of students of 22 and 23 students respectively, one of which was trained more intensively in summarizing exercises than the other. The grading (by two independent rates) was done on accuracy, completeness, coherence and fluency. A small difference was found in favour of the group trained more intensively, but it was not statistically significant. Well designed empirical studies such as this one are welcome in the field. When replicated, they may give valuable indications on the relative effectiveness of various training methods and exercises (DG)

 

CHOI, Jungwha. 2007. Study on Job Satisfaction and Directions for the Training of Conference Interpreters. Forum 5:2.38.

 

Déjean Le Féal, Karla. 2005. L’interprétation simultanée vers une langue apprise. Peut-on et doit-on l’enseigner? In Israël & Lederer (eds). 21-43.

 

Donovan, Clare. 2005. La Théorie Interprétative de la Traduction (TIT) et l’enseignement de l’interprétation. Interaction et inspiration. In Israël & Lederer (eds).  5-20.

* A clear presentation of key features of ESIT’s ‘interpretive theory’ and of its central role in orienting training and justifying translation strategies. Quite convincing with respect to the usefulness of the theory in training at ESIT.

 

Donovan, Clare. 2008. Closing the Expertise Gap: A concrete example of guided reflection on a conference experience. Forum 6:1. 35-58.

* A paper on volunteer experience for interpreter trainees and on delegates’ non-linguistic motivations for and against using interpreting – and implications. The author highlights the social and psychological reasons for which delegates are reluctant to use interpreting services, as well as the resulting consequences in terms of communication. In the reported case study, where volunteer student-interpreters interpreted for a meeting of a European university network, students also found that by adopting an active position and explaining what they could offer rather than accept passively a situation where they would not interpret, they made an impact both on the delegates and on communication. Interesting and thought-provoking. Incidentally, this paper is a report on personal experience with reflections – not a research paper - and is valuable as such. Most of the 18 citations from the literature do not contribute much and look like an unnecessary concession to academic writing standards. Perhaps it is time we acknowledge that professional literature need not abide by the same conventions as research literature? (DG)

 

FENG, Jianzhong. 2008. Professional ethics: an indispensable part for CATTI. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 246-253.

* The author laments the absence of an ethics component in the China Aptitude Test for Translators and Interpreters launched in 2003. He discusses the possible reasons for this absence and its possible implications in the Chinese marketplace. He concludes with specific suggestions for the incorporation of professional ethics into the Test.

 

GAO, Bin & CHAI, Mingjiong. 2008. On the Design of Core Courses for Conference Interpreter Training. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 163-171.

* Based on the European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI).

 

Gong Longsheng. 2008. From Interpretive Theory to the Study of Interpreting. (in Chinese) Foreign Language in China. 2008/2: 80-84.

* Abstract: This paper highlights the interpretive theory, which was established in the 1980s and was once the guiding theory of interpreting research in the West due to its ever-perfecting framework and unique perspective. Its establishment marked the transition of interpreting research in the West from the Experimental Psychology Period to the Practitioners’ Period. It has also exerted a great influence on interpreting research in China. Its definition of the essence of translation, analysis of the procedure and object of interpretation and creative ideas about interpreting teaching are still of vital importance to today’s interpreting practice and teaching. (WBH)

Key Words: the interpretive theory; the Paris school; establishment; perfection; main idea; innovation; development

 

HOU, Tian. 2007. The ‘Absence Effect Theory’ and the Interpreter's Emergency Strategies. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 54-57.

 

HUANG, Min. 2008. On the role and methods of language enhancement in interpreter training. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 206-211.

 

HUANG, Xiaojia & WANG, Jianguo. 2007. Interpreting and Treason. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 65-68.

* Draws a parallel between treason theories in written translation and treason in interpreting.

 

Iwamoto, Akemi. 2007. Features of and issues in the interpreting practicum of the M.A. Japanese-Chinese simultaneous interpreting training program at the Beijing Language and Culture University. (in Japanese). Interpretation Studies 7. 231-267.

* By a Japanese exchange student from Osaka, with information, impressions and suggestions.

 

Ito-Bergerot, Hiromi. 2007. Investigating the fundamental process of consecutive interpreting. (in Japanese) Interpretation Studies 7.89-116.

* An interesting attempt to interpret Seleskovitch’s ‘deverbalization’ concept in the light of cognitive research on language comprehension. On the basis of the literature and of examples drawn from her students’ consecutive without notes, the author concludes inter alia that deverbalization occurs as the macro-level, but at the micro-level, surface structures may remain locally in the interpreters’ memory.

 

Kondo, Masaomi. 2008. Mutliple Layers of Meaning – Toward a Deepening of the “Sense” Theory of Interpreting. In WANG & WANG (eds). 35-40.

* A short and thought-provoking paper by veteran Japanese interpreter and founder of JAIS Masaomi KONDO. Kondo stresses the existence of ambiguity in Japanese speeches beyond linguistic difficulties associated with the non-explicitation of subjects, singular vs. plural etc. He says that “some may feel dismayed at the professed difficulty of understanding utterances in [the] interpreters’ native tongue, but we must take this expressed difficulty as genuine, and as a significant interpreting phenomenon to be explained adequately” (p.36). By adding that he feels Japanese interpreters are ideally placed to raise this point, hopefully to contribute to a deeper understanding of the interpreting process (p.36), he highlights one advantage of looking at interpreting into B from the viewpoint of research. In a second part of the paper, Kondo cites two well-known anecdotes in Japanese conference interpreting. He suggests that at least three layers of meaning should be distinguished: the surface layer, meaning in the sense of semantic or informational content, and implied meaning, and highlights the difficulty for many interpreters to understand the third layer with sufficient confidence to act upon it when interpreting.

 

Lederer, Marianne. 2008. Interpreting into a B Language: How it could be Raised up to the Conference Interpreting Standards. Chinese Translators Journal 29:1. 22-26.

* The pros and cons of simultaneously interpreting into a foreign language are discussed in this paper. The main difficulties for Chinese-English interpreting are listed and advice is given to trainees on how to work them out one by one. Based on the consensus reached by interpreting schools in the European Union, the paper also lays down directions to trainers on when and how it is advisable to teach simultaneous interpretation into B, and how to make it acceptable to foreign listeners.

Key words: interpreting; B language; training; EMCI

 

Lederer, Marianne. 2008. Interpreting into a foreign (B) Language; How to raise it up to the Conference Interpreting Standards. In WANG & WANG (eds). 219-230.

* Same as above?

 

Lederer, Marianne. 2008. Can Theory Help Translator and Interpreter Trainers and Trainees? In WANG & WANG (eds). 107-129.

* The author’s strongest point in answering the question she formulates in the title of her paper is probably her statement (p.110) that “the aim of training courses is to avoid would-be translators having to learn slowly by trial and error while looking for the most adequate strategies, and to offer them shortcuts to competence”, which justifies the introduction of some theory in training.

 

LEE, Migyong. 2007. Transfer of Frames during Simultaneous Interpreting. Forum 5:2.39-56.

* ‘Frames’ in this paper refers to cultural values and expectations. The author comments interestingly that intercultural gaps between the speaker and users of the interpretation service require specific strategies which also entail a price in processing capacity.

 

LI Cheng. 2007. Form, Tactic and Cognitive Requirement-On the Differences between Simultaneous Interpreting and Consecutive Interpreting. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 61-64.

* A theoretical analysis, based on Gile’s Effort Models.

 

LIAO, Bo Sen. 2008. A review of interpreting studies in Taiwan: the achievements of TATI over the past decade. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 14-34.

* TATI stands for Taiwan Association for Translation and Interpretation. The author has looked systematically at articles on interpreting published in journals and classified the information with respect to themes, research methods, languages concerned and other categories. It would be interesting to see an English version of this paper for the benefit of readers outside China.

 

LIM, Hyang-Ok. 2007. Negotiating in English: Serving two masters. Forum 5:2. 57-78.

* On negotiation styles.

 

LIU, Heping. 2008. Positioning and Professionalism in Interpreter Training. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 144-153.

* The author suggests professional interpreting should be divided into three levels.

 

LIU, Heping. 2007. Positioning and Professionalism in Interpreter Training. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 21-25.

* Similar to above.

 

LIU, Heping. 2007. Pour un enseignement professionnel de l’interprétation à différents niveaux –le cas de la Chine. Forum 5 :1. 131-161.

* See above

 

LIU, Heping. 2008. Difference between Interpretation Teaching and Language Teaching and Levels of Interpretation Teaching. (in Chinese) Chinese Academic Journal, 2008/2: 118-121.

* Abstract: Language acquisition is aimed to understand and express one’s own thoughts in a foreign language. Foreign language teaching, which is to help and teach students in their acquisition of linguistic competence, has its specific characteristics and rules. Foreign language teaching and interpretation teaching, though related, are different, the latter of which is aimed to enable students to express in a language what they hear in another language. Their differences can play a decisive role in the success of teaching, which lie in the targets, contents, and methodology of teaching as well as students psychological aspects. The author of this paper emphasizes the phased training of interpreting skills and proposes that continuity and systematization in interpreter training should be achieved in the undergraduate and graduate interpretation courses.

Key words: Foreign language teaching; interpretation teaching; language ability; interpretation skill; systematization  [WBH]

 

LIU, Jianjun. 2008. Learning productive vocabulary in Chinese-English interpreting. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 212-218.

 

LIU, Jianzhu. 2008. On the construction of a multiple-dimension assessment system for interpreter training. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 287-296.

 

LIU, Shaolong. 2008. A Cognitive Study of the Meta-communication Function of Interpreting. (in Chinese) Foreign Languages and Their Teaching. 2008/1: 44-47.

* Abstract: Bilingual interpreting is a special means or activity of information transmission or oral communication, in which the interpreter acts as an intermediary between two parties of speaker and listener. The p resent paper has, on the basis of critical review of the existing Transmission Model of Interpreting, managed to set up a tentative meta2communication model of interpreting in an attempt to illustrate the complex mental process of oral communication via interpreting and to highlight the dynamic go-between role of interpreter in the transmission of auditory information from the source speaker to the target listener.

Key Words: interpreting; meta-communication model; cognitive study  [WBH]

 

LIU, Shaolong & YANG, Liuqi. 2007. A Survey of Research on Interpretation in China in the Last Decade. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 35-38.

 

LIU, Yuhong & HUANG, Li. 2008. Co-ordinate Bilingual vs. Compound Bilingual. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 77-85.

* The authors discuss these two forms of bilingualism and conclude that they are not relevant for interpreter training on the Chinese mainland.

 

Minns, Philip. 2005. Application de la TIT à la pratique professionnelle de l’interprétation de conférence sur la marché privé. Un cas extrême. In Israël & Lederer (eds). 125-139.

 

Mullamaa, Kristina. 2004. Processes in simultaneous interpretation: A mental models and relevance theoretical approach. In Krista Vogelberg (ed) Encounters.Linguistic and Cultural-Psychological Aspects of Communicative Processes. Cultural Studies Series No. 3. Eds. Vogelberg, K., Soovik, E. Tartu University Press. 90-112

 

Moser-Mercer, Barbara. 2008. Skill Acquisition in Interpreting. A Human Performance Perspective.  The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 2:1.1-28.

* Abstract:

Performance is central to interpreting, both at the professional level and in the classroom. Successful expert performance that meets the standards set for entry into the profession allows students to transition into the world of professional practice. Past research on the cognitive dimensions of interpreting has led to modelling the interpreting process of the hypothetical expert interpreter with solid professional experience. However, skill acquisition in interpreting and the various stages learners pass through towards more expert performance cannot readily be explained with the models developed for expert interpreters. There are numerous factors that co-determine successful expert performance; many of them, however, are not replicated in novice performance; also, the learning environment produces additional factors that will not transition into professional practice. This paper attempts to look at skill acquisition in interpreting from a performance psychology perspective, with particular reference to the development of adaptive expertise. Additional data are presented to provide a first performance psychology look at the ageing interpreting student. The author seeks to model the interpreting student’s learning environment as it has evolved in the 21st century as well as the skill acquisition process in the age of new technologies.

 

Muylle, Noël. 2005. L’interprétation au Service Commun Interprétation-Conférences (SCIC). Philosophie générale et pratique de la TIT. In Israël & Lederer (eds). 115-123.

 

Ono, Takahiro, Tohyama, Hitomi & Matsubara, Shigeru. 2007. A comparative analysis of word-level time delay between Japanese-English and English-Japanese Interpretation. (in Japanese) Interpretation Studies 7. 51-64.

* Another empirical research project using the Osaka recorded corpus of simultaneous interpreting. With word recognition software, the authors analyzed word-level time delay for 4 468 words in the Japanese-into-English direction and 2 629 words in the English-into Japanese direction. The delay was longer in the Japanese-into-English direction. There was little difference in verbs, but a large difference in nouns. In Japanese-into-English. The authors also analyzed the delay by grammatical function. Interesting, but when drawing conclusions, it will be important to remember that the interpreters were mostly (all?) native Japanese speakers, not English As.

 

OU YANG, Qianhua. 2008. Research and Reflection on Features of Television Interpreting. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 58-66.

 

PAVLOVIĆ, Nataša. 2007. Directionality in Translation and Interpreting Practice: Report on a questionnaire survey in Croatia. Forum 5:2. 79-99.

* Another interesting paper on directionality as it is seen in the field. The analysis of 193 valid responses to a questionnaire in Croatia shows that more than 70% of full-time translators and interpreters work regularly into their B language. A third of the respondents prefer to work into their B-language and almost as many believe it is easier.

 

Pöchhacker, Franz. 2007. “Going Simul?” Technology-assisted Consecutive Interpreting. Forum 5:2. 101-124.

*  A very interesting paper on a new hybrid mode of interpreting which is being experimented: a speaker makes a speech which is recorded by the interpreter who then interprets the recording simultaneously. Pöchhacker recalls the birth and first steps in the field of this hybrid interpreting mode and reviews available experience. He then reports on a small-scale experiment conducted in Vienna comparing traditional consecutive and the hybrid mode, with both the interpreters’ and the users’ impressions.

 

Pöchhacker, Franz. 2008. Quality standards in interpreting: theory and application. In WANG & WANG (eds). 231-245.

* The author starts by reviewing work on the topic by pioneering practitioners, then analyzes quality concepts and their components, and finally discusses existing standards. A conceptual view of the topic.

 

Ramler, Siegfried. 2007. The Origin and Challenges of Simultaneous Interpretation: The Nuremberg Trial Experience. Interpretation Studies 7. 7-18.

* Based on a special lecture given by the author on, February 18, 2006 at Tokyo University of foreign Studies. Historical, logistics, reflections.

 

REN, Wen & HU, Minxia. 2007. Assessing and Re-designing Universities' SI Training Courses in China. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 29-34.

*A summary of the concept and practice of simultaneous interpreter training courses in major universities in mainland China with a special focus on training at Sichuan University.

 

Shinzaki, Ryuko. 2007. The process of acquiring intercultural communication competence. (in Japanese) A case study in the classroom. Interpretation Studies 7. 65-88.

* Participatory observation and the students’ emailed comments to the instructor were used to investigate the evolution of awareness in six students taking an interpreting class at university. The author finds that interpreting exercises tend to develop intercultural communication competence. The author also says that intercultural communication competence in interpreters is essentially similar to intercultural communication competence in direct communication and is acquired in five major steps: basic knowledge of languages and cultures, basic language skills, interpersonal communication competence and willingness to understand people of different cultures and to take positive action to resolve misunderstandings. Consideration for others and creativity in thinking about their needs are essential in developing intercultural competence.

 

SONG, Jiayin. 2008. The influence of a speaker’s PPT on the quality of simultaneous interpreting. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 86-92.

* Within the framework of the Effort Models, the author tries to explore the influence of a power point presentation on interpreting quality under three conditions: slides provided to the interpreters beforehand, slides provided at the time of the presentation, and no slides provided to the interpreters.

 

TAKEDA, Kayoko. 2007. The Making of an Interpreter User. Forum 5:1. 245-263.

* An analysis of interpreting at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal after WWII in the light of negotiated interpreting norms.

 

Tanaka, Miyuki, Ino K., Kawahara K., Shinzaki R., Nakamura S. 2007. Tapping into the needs and wishes of interpreting students – from the 2007 JAIS Educational SIG Survey. (in Japanese) Interpretation Studies 7. 253-263.

* In 2005, more than 105 universities had courses related to interpreting and there was no clear picture about the nature of the courses, qualifications of instructors etc., hence the survey. From the information collected, it appears inter alia that for many students, ‘interpreting classes’ are a way to enhance their language skills in English, and that “interpreting” is taught to students who are far from having the minimum required mastery of the foreign language….

 

TAO, Youlan. 2008. Theoretical Guiding Principles for the Preparation of Interpreting Coursebooks for Translation Majors. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 154-162.

* The author suggests that translation theories, psycho-educational theories and intercultural communication theories should be taken on board as a theoretical basis for the preparation of coursebooks for interpreter training.

 

Timarová, Šárka & Harry Ungoed-Thomas. 2008. Admission testing for interpreting courses. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer 2:1.29-46.

* Abstract

Admission testing is an integral part of interpreter training, yet it is surrounded by much controversy and scepticism. This paper first looks into some general principles of designing an admission test (its purpose, link with curriculum, effectiveness and efficiency of testing), emphasizing the dissociation between skills to be tested and tests used for tapping them. The authors then present data from a small-scale study in which 18 interpreting schools provided information on their admission testing practice and answered questions related to the skills tested and tests employed, and to the overall efficiency of their admission procedure. Based on this analysis, they conclude that there is a reasonable consensus among schools in terms of which tests are best suited to test which skill, but that new approaches to admission testing are needed to improve their efficiency. More specifically, the authors suggest that schools improve their recording systems, that soft skills are included in formal testing, and that new testing methods are explored.

 

Tohyama, Hitomi & Matsubara, Shigeki. 2007. The relationship between fillers and ease of listening in English-Japanese simultaneous interpreting. (in Japanese) Interpretation Studies 7. 39-49.

* A sequel to previous studies by the same authors on simultaneous interpreting delivery. In this case, the authors focused of fillers in a recorded corpus of simultaneous interpreting from Nagoya University. Using extracts from the corpus, they conducted experiments in which they asked 31 native Japanese speakers to assess ease of listening on a 5-point scale. They found that unfavourable listener reactions correlated positively with fillers in the middle of the interpreters’ utterances.

 

Van Besien, Fred & Chris Meuleman. 2007. Style Differences among Simultaneous Interpreters: A Pilot Study. The Translator 14:1. 135-55.

* This paper offers empirical evidence for the existence of style differences among simultaneous interpreters. The material consists of the simultaneous interpretation into English of two parts of a semi-prepared Dutch interview, by two professional interpreters. The resulting data is analyzed with a view to identifying differences in the strategies used by the two interpreters. The analysis reveals differences between the two interpreters in the way they employ global strategies (presentation, additions, omissions) as well as the extent to which they rely upon certain local strategies, such as transcoding and backtracking. Other local strategies such as anticipation and the use of pauses (filled or not) are equally distributed between the interpreters. A tentative distinction is made between two types of interpreter according to their interpreting style: the producer of a ‘lean’ target text and the producer of an ‘abundant’ target text.

 

WANG, Binhua. 2008. A tentative exploration of an objective assessment model of interpreting. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 277-286.

 

WANG Binhua & MU Lei. 2008. Approaches and Methods of Interpreting Studies: Retrospect and Prospect. (in Chinese) Foreign Language in China. 2008/2: 85-90.

* Abstract: This paper reviews the major approaches and methods of interpreting studies throughout its history, from which we can see that interpreting studies are developing towards interdisciplinarity and the research methodology is evolving from objective speculation based on experience to objective description and empirical analysis based on data. Such retrospect and prospect may provide valuable guidance to interpreting researchers in China, whose research is in need o f improvement in research methodology.

Key Words: interpreting studies; approaches and methods; retrospect and prospects [WBH]

 

WANG, Dongzhi. 2007. The Current Situation and Trends for Interpreting Studies in China: A Reflection of the 6th National Conference on Interpreting. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 58-60.

 

WANG, Dongzhi & WANG, Lidi. 2008. Interpreting Quality and Control. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 254-262.

 

WANG, Enmian. 2008. Interpreting into the B Language: The East Asian Experiences. (in Chinese) Chinese Translators Journal 29:1. 72-75

* This paper looks into the practice of interpreting into the B language by comparatively analyzing surveys conducted in recent years among professional interpreters in three East Asian countries, China, Korea and Japan. In the light which these surveys shed, the author offers some suggestions to institutes of interpreters training for dealing with the problems they commonly encounter.

Key words: interpreting; the B language; training; quality evaluation

 

WANG, Enmian. 2008. Interpreting into the B Language: The East Asian Experience. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 3-13.

* Same as above?

 

WANG, Hong & WANG, Jincheng. 2008. A Comparative Study of the Interpreting of Coordinate Bilingual and Compound Bilingual Interpreters – A Case Study with a Chinese Interpreter and a Singaporean Interpreter. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 67-76.

 

WANG, Qiong. 2008. The omission strategy in simultaneous interpreting. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 93-106.

* Within the framework of the Effort Models, the author argues in favour of omission as a strategy when facing cognitive saturation.

 

WANG, Xiangling, WIE, An & JIANG, Jiansong. 2008. An Empirical Study of Interpreting Quality from the Perspective of Conference Delegates. (in Chinese) Foreign Languages and Their Teaching. 2008/3: 59-62.

* Abstract: The paper conducts an empirical study of a questionnaire survey to delegates of an economic conference and a teaching conference, followed by face to face in-depth interviews. The result shows that two different group s of interpretation users (bilinguals vs. monolinguals) have different attitudes and expectations towards such factors as completeness, fluency and terminology etc. The speakers, interpreters and listeners do not agree on the interpreters’ role, either. Therefore it is suggested interpreters adjust their interpretation strategies to suit different types of conferences and different users in order to produce better interpretation quality.

Keywords: interpretation users; interpreters; interpretation quality; interpreters’ role; empirical study  [WBH]

 

XU, Luomai. 2008. IT-Based innovation on interpreter training methodology. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 192-205.

 

XU, Ming. 2008. Cognitive Studies on Interpretation in the West: An Overview. (in Chinese) Chinese Translators Journal 29:1.16-21

* Using the salient features of interpretation and the hierarchical order of human processing of information as its organizing principles, this article surveys the cognitively-oriented researches conducted by Western scholars on simultaneous and consecutive interpretation. On the basis of their findings, the author offers a discussion of the cognitive problems encountered in the processes of interpretation.

Key words: interpretation; cognitive mechanism; information processing

 

XU, Mingwu & ZUO, Hongfen. 2008. Stress-reducing strategies for press conference interpretations. (n Chinese) Chinese translators’ journal 29:3. 77-81

*Abstract: Keeping an eye on the nature of translation, the present article explores the caused for the psychological pressure which interpreters tend to feel. Analyzing the data collected from some top-level official press conferences in recent years, the authors identify a number of strategies for reducing the interpreter’s stress, emphasizing the need meanwhile to take the interpreter’s competence into consideration when deciding which strategy to apply.

 

YANG, Liu. 2008. The rise of Western Interpreting Theories and their Reception in China. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 41-50.

* The author attempts to trace back the development of Western interpreting theories and analyzes their reception in China.

 

ZHANG, Wei. 2008. Interpreting quality evaluation: the user’s viewpoint. (in Chinese) In WANG & WANG (eds). 263-276.

* A survey which suggests that users attach more important to content than to form and that their features as users influence their perception of interpreting quality.

 

ZHANG, Wei. 2008. Awareness and the Ability to Communicate Cross - culturally: An Essential Element of Interpreting Evaluation. (In Chinese) Journal of Changchun Normal University (Humanities and Social Sciences). Vol.27/3: 94-97.

* Abstract: Interpretation can be defined as a special kind of cross - cultural communication. Interpreting - specific cultural factors mainly involve social linguistic behavior, cultural mode , values and way of expressing. So the interpreter’s cross - cultural communicative abilities are reflected both in linguistic transformation and in functional adjustment of cultural implications and communicative effects. Therefore, the interpreter’s cross - cultural abilities should be taken as an essential element of interpreting evaluation.

Key words: interpretation; cross - cultural communication; interpreting evaluation  [WBH]

 

ZHONG, Weihe. 2008. Principles and Methodology for Professional Interpreter Training. (in Chinese). In WANG & WANG (eds). 137-143.

* The author develops Gile’s comprehension formula into a “knowledge formula” by adding Professional Interpreting Skills and Artistic Interpreation Skills and suggests curricula should be constructed on this basis.

 

ZHONG, Weihe. 2007. The principles and methodology for training professional interpreters. (in Chinese) Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, special issue on translation research. 17-20.

* Same as above

 

M.A. AND GRADUATION THESES

 

CAO, Chengbi. 2008. An Exploratory Study on the Impacts of Pre-Task Preparation on Anticipation in SI. M.A. thesis, College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Xiamen University. China. (In English)

* AbstractThe thesis applies the Effort Model and Relevance Theory to discuss the strategy of anticipation in SI and task preparation respectively. The author tries to make an initial attempt to explore the connections between the two, aiming at illustrating and proving a hypothesis: task preparation can exert positive impacts on anticipation in SI, therefore, it improves the quality of interpreting. The study is an empirical research supported by an experiment test on the third-year postgraduates majoring in interpretation at the Xiamen University. 14 subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups. Language proficiency and cultural background were controlled as invariables. During the experiment, Think-aloud Protocol (TAP) was adopted to test the accuracy of SI anticipation between the two groups. After carefully analyzing the data, the author draws the following conclusions: 1.Task preparation exerts a positive impact on anticipation in SI, in that it can improve the accuracy of anticipating while decrease the rate of failures in anticipation. 2. The rate of accuracy and failures in SI anticipation is rather low compared with “approximation”, “relevant” and “irrelevant”. So maybe we can conclude that anticipation can mainly achieve the effect of approximate and relevant. 3. The voiced anticipation made by the well-prepared interpreters is more logical and their delivery is quite natural; therefore their interpreting quality is much better than those who did not prepare. So far, researches on the impact of preparation on the anticipation strategy have rarely been seen. It is hoped that this thesis, as a tentative exploration, may shed light on the future studies.

Key words: Task preparation, anticipation in SI, impact

 

Cerkvenik, Marco. 2007. Using Gile's Effort Model to Investigate Number Interpreting Efficacy. Unpublished graduation thesis, University of Maribor, Slovenia.

* An interesting experimental graduation thesis which investigates the efficiency of preparation on the translation of numbers in interpreting. A total of 7 interpreting students were involved in the study, though the number of subjects in each condition (with/without preparation, with/without knowledge of the aims of the study, with/without a transcript of the speech) varied. The author used the Efforts Models of simultaneous interpreting as a conceptual framework, and his work was a follow-up to Mazza’s work in Forli (2000). Interpreting of speeches from English into Slovene as done under various conditions, interviews were conducted after each step, and general rendition rate as well as number rendition rate were monitored. The findings suggest that general preparation which familiarizes students with the topic and the terminology does improve their performance not only in general terms, but also with respect to numbers, which can be interpreted as a reduction of processing capacity requirements which leave more resources free for numbers. Note the classification of types of numbers and a classification of types of errors inspired by Mazza, which provide interesting information.

 

CHEN, Yonghua. 2008. A Study on the Comparison Between English-Chinese and Chinese-English Simultaneous Interpreting. M.A. thesis, College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Xiamen University.

* Abstract This thesis is an attempt to make a general comparison between English to Chinese simultaneous interpreting (E-C SI) and Chinese to English simultaneous interpreting (C-E SI), aiming at shedding light on the difficulties in E-C and C-E SI for Chinese trainees and providing suggestions on coping tactics and skill improvement through analysis on the data collected from an investigation on Chinese trainees’ preferences for either E-C or C-E SI. More emphasis is put on C-E SI, though this thesis only probes into some general aspects. There are limitations for the investigation, but it does reveal some problems, such as Chinese trainees’ incompetence of the English language which has proved to be a large obstacle for both E-C and C-E SI. Whether the training of E-C and C-E SI should be divided into two separate phases with focus on one in each phase remains an issue to be discussed and an area to be explored into.

Key words: Comparison; E-C and C-E SI; investigation; Chinese trainees

 

De Martino, Marco. 2007. Case study dell’interpretazione simultanea di un convegno medico. Graduation thesis, SSLMIT, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Sede di Forlì.

(English title: “A case study of simultaneous interpretation at a medical congress.”)

Abstract

This thesis is a case-study on the simultaneous interpretation of a medical congress. Starting from the authentic recordings of the event, the aim was to highlight the differences in the two interpreters’ approach to the specialized text, depending on the variables experience and planning of the source text (ST).